Japan Expo 2017 Day 1 Report

I was planning to go another day in Japan Expo aside from the 1st day but considering my elevator is broken and I live at the 13th floor, I would rather stay in my house in that condition (well aside some errands).

So I attended the 1st day of Japan Expo 2017, thursday for one and only one reason (well main reason) : watching Pokémon 20th movie and seeing Rica Matsumoto (Satoshi’ seiyuu and artist of many Pokémon theme songs).

Second reason was going to Kazutaka Kodaka signing session. He’s Danganronpa’s creator, one of my favorite video game series of all time!!! NISAmerica invited him to Japan Expo.

I attented it with my brother, we arrived at 8:30AM. Because of my brother’s situation, we were able to enter at 9:00AM before those who were standing in the line. Once entering it, we were looking for the place where to get the signing tickets. I wanted to both Pokémon ticket and Kodaka-san signing one but…

We just didn’t expect the outcome. There were like TOO MANY people standing in line for Pokémon. Don’t forget, we entered before everybody. Well besides who attended Japan Expo with a Zen ticket, a (very expensive) special 4-days ticket with privileges included (like getting in Japan Expo at 8:30AM).

We standed there, waiting for our turn so we could get Pokémon ticket. I tried to take a picture of the line behind me, it was just too huge and they were still coming. I don’t know how many people there really were but I wouldn’t doubt that fans just gave up on getting it. After all, I waited a whole hour to get mine when I was among the first ones. My ticket number can prove how many people they were expecting. Take a look at the following picture:

After getting my ticket, I just gave up on getting Kodaka-san’s signing ticket. The line was already full as well. Well of course less than Pokémon’s because normal sining tickets are basically one corridor line while Pokémon was a sort of snake-line (the space that it took is about 3 corridors). I was very sad, I would never have thought there were so many people for Pokémon. So in my mind, I was sure that I could get both tickets.

We looked around the place by going to Nintendo booth first. I took pictures of every game booth, though I didn’t try any game. I’ll play them once they are out. Main games at Nintendo booth: The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild with the 1st DLC season pass pack, Mario Odyssey, Mario and Rabbids, Pokken Tournament, Splatoon, Fire Emblem Warriors and Arms. Of course there were many other games like Pokémon S&M, Yokai Watch, even Overcooked Switch vers….

Closeby we found NIS America booth with Danganronpa V3. We saw some Monokuma’s mask and we guessed we had to test the game to get the masks. So did I, I tried the game, not much so I would not get myself spoiled. While playing it, my brother told me if I knew the person behind me. I turned my head first, then my whole body. I just couldn’t believe who I was seeing in front of me…. KAZUTAKA KODAKA-SAN!!!

He was looking at me, smiling at me… And I don’t know why but I was speaking in Japanese without realizing it. I asked him if I could take a picture with him and he agreeded to it. I was shaking at this moment but my brother helped me take a picture with him. When it was done, I bowed my head and thanked him. I just couldn’t believe it, I TOOK A PICTURE WITH HIM waaaaaaaaaaah!!! I thanked my brother for letting me know, I just didn’t realize he was behind me. My brother said he was most likely behind me the whole time taking pictures with few fans. And I guess he was watching me play…???? until I decided myself to turn and see him??? Oh my god… *embarassed* //////// Look at the picture, behind him is NIS staff and probably Spike Chunsoft staff too.

Kodaka-san was the 1st day MC of Japan Expo’s report. Here’s the video.

My mind was just blank, I was still replaying what’d just happened earlier with Kodaka-san. And I don’t really know but my brother and I just went ahead. We didn’t stay at NIS booth, I just wanted to breath a little after this mervelous meeting. Kodaka-san and the staff didn’t stay around either. Now that I saw JE official report, they were filming it and he just happened to be where we were! Such a great coincidence ♥ I didn’t get his signing but I was able to get better than that, his picture ♥♥♥

We didn’t have much to do at Japan Expo, we looked around professional booths (manga/anime ones). We saw our cousin too, she was working a one of these professional ones. Animate booth was small this year again, maybe I should have bought some Shingeki no Kyojin keychains. Same goes for Levi Nendoroid at Good Smile Compagny. But I didn’t want to spend money so I did not spend on anything aside from foods (Takoyaki is ♥).

I didn’t see any DRRR!! cosplay this year, last year I saw several ones though… However I found some TOZ cosplays! When I was walking around the booths, I found another one with Summer!Mikleo. And now that I think about it, when I was standing in line for Pokémon ticket, some people were cosplaying in Chrom and Robin, I wish I could take pictures of them ;__;

Kansai Airports got a booth and it’s a collaboration with Pokémon. All you had to do is to take a picture of the booth and posting it on Twitter to get a Pokémon sticker. I did as said and got one. Two versions of the tickets, white background and the other one was a yellow background. I picked the yellow one.

Aeon booth is also a collaboration with Pokémon, more precisely 20th movie collaboration. This time you had to follow either on Facebook or Twitter to get Pikachu badge. I followed them on Twitter and got it!

We were standing in line again, this time to get in the special room where they were screening the movie. As you can expect it, we weren’t allowed to film the movie. I did not film anything of it but I did film the entire stage. The movie was, obviously, in Japanese dubs, French subs.

Summary (no spoilers included) :
Satoshi lives in Pallet Town, he’ll be 10 years old the next day and as any other 10 years old children, he will get hist first Pokémon. But he woke up too late and every Pokémon were already picked by the four other children of his town. Professor Ookido still got another Pokémon in his laboratory but there were some kind of a problem with that last one. Indeed, this Pokémon didn’t like to get in the Monster Ball, it’s a Pikachu. With Pikachu, Satoshi will begin a journey to be the next Pokémon Master.

During the movie screening, fans were clapping hands and whistling. The scenes were reaaaaally moving, I will not spoil you but I do recommand it to you! There several shoking scenes, like something you will never thought about. And Satoshi and Pikachu’s relationship in in a central point of this movie. I cried and cried so much during the movie, more than the first movie had me cried. My tears just couldn’t stop falling, I was moved by it. Really, Satoshi and Pikachu sure care about each other. That friendship about a human and a Pokémon, it’s just oo beautiful!!! TT__TT
Now I hope they will be releasing this movie here in BD with the Japanese dubs!!!!!!!

Afterwards, Caroline Segarra (she used to work for NoLife) asked some questions to both Rica Matsumoto and Kunihiko Yuyama. I’ll resume them here:

*** = spoilers

What do you think about fans’ reactions regarding the movie?

[Yuyama]I was pleased to see you were surprised and applauding during the movie.[Rica] When *** won the battle, you were saying “Wow”. I was very moved by it.

[To Rica] Pokémon anime is aired worldwide. How do you feel about, this time, tonight, in front of 3k fans, it’s your voice fans had listened to?

[Rica]Pokémon has been aired in many countries, there’re many “Sacha” (Sacha is the French name of Satoshi), many Satoshi but I also believe it’s also the voice of every person who has voiced him you’d listened today. Which’s why I would like to sing the original theme song so you could sing with me. Pokémon Getto Daze!

[To Yuyama]You have been conducting some researches for your movies. Have you ever made some in France? What do you think about our country?

[Yuyama]France is a good place to find resources. I’ve been in Nice and Montpellier in the past. I’ve conducted some for XY TV series. I got a lot of inspiration from this country.

[To Rica]Is it your first time in France? What do you think of our country?

[Rica]It’s my first time in France but I have a friend here who is a ballet dancer. She’s talked a lot about Paris and France, therefore I’m glad to have come here.

Here are fan questions:

[To Yuyama]How do you write the scenario?

[Yuyama]For this movie, I spotted some pictures from New Zealand. But when I don’t find a place to write a scenario, I started to imagine some scenes in my head which would be used for the movies.

[To Rica and Yuyama]Among the ones you have created, which is your favorite one? Which is the one you’ve prefered to create?

[Rica] It’s difficult to chose one but if I were to chose one is the very first movie that was create after the anime: Mewtwo’s Rebellion.[Yuyama]We both agree with it, it’s Mewtwo Rebellion.

After the talk corner. Rica-chan performed Mezase Pokémon Master 2017.
Caroline Segarra got one last question:

[To Rica] What does this song mean to you?

It’s a very important song for me. It’s through Mezase Pokémon Master that the anime was able to be aired worldwide. It has a very important place in my heart in which it cannot be replaced.

Caroline tried to prepare the fans to say “Getto Daze!” but I guess Rica-chan was better at this work. With her alone, she was able to move the fans to another level. Female-only fans first, then male ones and everybody. Pokémon Getto Daze!

The stage ended with a special picture for Japanese TV show. We had to raise our hands and say “Kimeta!” after Rica-chan said “Kimi ni”.